PREPARATIONS are under way to give East Lancashire firms a unique 'foot in the door' with major companies. Following the success of the Meet the Buyer event organised by the East lancashire Chamber of Commerce at its exhibition last year, organisers are
ACTOR Ian Cross took time out from the latest hit production of "Blood Brothers" to go back to school. Ian chatted to theatre studies students at St Mary's College, Blackburn, where he was given his first acting break. Originally from Great Harwood, Ian
ELECTRONICS company Mullard announced the loss of more than 300 jobs at its Blackburn plant. Two divisions of the company were set to close as some of its products were superseded by new technology. The company said it hoped to achieve an initial 130
DENTISTS are getting their teeth into a recruitment drive to persuade schoolchildren to follow in their footsteps. The campaign is the latest move to tempt young people into the dental profession. A shortage of dental practitioners across East Lancashire
SUNDAY shopping supporters brought their campaign bus to East Lancashire to press for changes in the law, and had their views backed by the area's MPs. Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said it was ridiculous that a pornographic magazine could be legally sold
HOUSEPROUD residents were told they had failed to get massive improvements to their council estates - because they had looked after their homes too well! While millions were poured into rundown Burnley estates, houses in Lowerhouse were always too good
BUILDING society chief Eddie Shapland was given two pieces of good news the day before he killed himself, his deputy and close friend told an inquest. His daughter Kay had exchanged contracts on a house she was buying and the Marsden Building Society's
I AGREE entirely with your Opinion (LET, January 19) on the possible closure of the Lewis Textile Museum, in Blackburn. I have lived in Blackburn all my life and I have always looked with pride on this small museum which depicts the history of the textile
REGARDING your 'Opinion' (LET, January 19) concerning the contemplation by Blackburn Council of closing the Lewis Textile Museum to save £10,000, or to use it for still more council offices, my wife and I are appalled at the thought of this happening.
I READ with concern Blackburn with Darwen Council's attitude to the Lewis Textile Museum (LET, January 19). More than any other, Lancashire's textile industry was responsible for the economic success of Britain. Here in East Lancashire, our industrial
THE new blockbuster movie "Titanic" was almost sunk on its maiden showing in Blackburn last night. Film buffs at the Apollo Cinema were suddenly told to leave the auditorium after a commotion - which police later described as a 'domestic' - broke out.
BURNLEY town centre's Bethesda Street will be closed to traffic on Sunday morning as the local Marks and Spencer store prepares to go up in the world. The store will be taking delivery of a 40 metre escalator - part of £2.9 million improvements and expansion
SCHOOLS across East Lancashire blasted controversial league tables published today - despite doing well. The Government tables showed most primary schools have raised their standards in English, maths and science in the last year. But headteachers and
Friday Folk A CYCLIST who has cycled across two continents is preparing himself for his most dangerous mission to date. Gordon Whittaker is set to ride alone across 2,500 miles of barren Australian terrain, where the only residents are the poisonous snakes
CHILDREN in Blackburn and Darwen will get the best school dinners in Lancashire if a new catering boss has her way. Kath Booth has been given the job of running the school dinner service in the two towns from next April. She is planning to offer youngsters
COUNTY Hall leaders have come under fire for their decision to reshape the administration of Lancashire's education service. The move is part of the shake-up of local government in Lancashire and will see the closure of local education offices across
HUNDREDS of firms in East Lancashire are being asked to help shape the way millions of pounds could be spent in the area. Business Link East Lancashire has sent out detailed questionnaires to firms asking them what help they could benefit from. The move
HEALTH chiefs have conceded defeat in their battle to ensure no patient waits more than a year for treatment. East Lancashire Health Authority agreed the Patients Charter Standard was "unrealistic and outdated" and it was better for someone to wait longer
EDUCATION watchdogs have praised a school for providing top class teaching. An Ofsted report highlighted the high standard of teaching at West End County Primary School, Oswaldtwistle. The standards squad's report said: "Teachers were dedicated, caring
AN international athletics referee has warned that cost cutting by Blackburn with Darwen Council could lead to the loss of a world class facility. George Kirby said proposed shorter opening hours and private maintenance contracts could have dire consequences
CONTROVERSIAL plans to close the Lewis Textile Museum look to have been shelved following an apparent U-turn by council leaders. A package of cost cutting measures aimed at saving £4.3 million from council budgets had included the closure of the historic
DRUG abuse in families is now one of the major problems faced by social workers in East Lancashire. The situation has got so bad extra cash has been found to tackle the problem even though social services chiefs have been forced into £2.5 million worth
SIX hundred workers jubilant at news of a huge new contract at a Burnley company were told - things have just got even better. Celebrations at Hurel-Dubois to mark £63 million of new work had just begun, when bosses announced another £40 million boost
I AM writing a dissertation on the decline of the cotton industry in Blackburn and would be grateful if readers with experiences of the industry after World War Two would write to tell me about them. Were you made redundant? Did you leave the industry
BLACKBURN Council reminds me of the television character, Worzel Gummidge. It seems they have got their stupid head on again in planning to shut the Lewis Textile Museum. If they succeed, they will probably knock the building down and put one of their
AS the controversy over the plan to shut Blackburn's Lewis Textile Museum takes a new twist - now, it may stay open though the front door will be shut - we award the council full marks for paying heed to the public's protest. But our marks for taking
ACCORDING to the saying, the Lord helps those who help themselves. But, so often in real life, officialdom clobbers them. And that is what decent, house-proud residents on an East Lancashire council estate discover today. For they are denied vital improvements
ELECTRICAL chain Tandy has confirmed it is closing two of its East Lancashire stores with the loss of around six jobs. The firm said that the loss-making Blackburn and Nelson branches would shut as part of a nationwide closure programme of 69 of its 338
A PLASTICS firm is gearing up for a move to new premises which is expected to create more than 20 jobs. Weltonhurst Ltd's multi-million pound factory at Centurion Way, Blackburn, will be completed ahead of schedule in early March. Staff from its Bottomcroft
Drive & Stroll, with Ron Freethy: Burlington/Fence THIS week brought the first glimmer of sunshine for several weeks and I enjoyed two wonderful walks, both related to slate - one of the most versatile rocks in the world. My first walk took me to
Political Focus, with Bill Jacobs NOW the Tony Blair benefit roadshow is on tour, the argument in favour of welfare reform appears to be going better for the government. Despite the problems caused by the Gordon Brown biography, Robin Cook's personal
A SCHOOL is celebrating an outstanding government inspection report. Stubbins Primary in Rossendale was praised for a number of aspects including "high quality of leadership, a dedicated and professional staff and very good standards of pupil behaviour
THE north's biggest motorbike show is to stay in Rossendale - at least for the time being. Organisers of the annual Rossendale Valley Bike Show had threatened to move, after a row with council bosses over charges. But at the Show's annual general meeting
CHRIS Waddle didn't beat about the bush as he prepared his players for tomorrow's crunch Second Division relegation clash with Southend United at Turf Moor - "We have got to win this one." The Burnley player-manager is under no illusions as to the importance
JASON Wilcox could be set for a significant career change at the age of 26, with Blackburn Rovers boss Roy Hodgson earmarking one step back to take two forward for the winger. Hodgson has given a broad hint that Wilcox will continue in his new left-back
